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Toyota 4Runner 4X4 - The ARB 4x4Runner
More Than Just Air Lockers: A Look at ARB for the Expedition and Adventure Off-Roader
For 30 years, ARB has designed and manufactured 4WD equipment for the off-road and overland driver, building a reputation of quality, innovation, and practicality. In early February, I had the opportunity to tour the new ARB facility and spend a few hours reviewing the company's new product offerings with Chris Wood, ARB's sales manager. After the facility tour, I took delivery of ARB's generation four 4Runner for testing and evaluation, including a series of adventures in Idaho, Utah, California, and Arizona.
The ARB team moved into its new facility in Renton, Washington, in early 2006 with the goal of having more inventory space, more efficient material handling, and dedicated research and development offices. The result is impressive, with rows full of Air Lockers, Old Man Emu springs, IPF lights, new recovery equipment, and racks of bumpers. All of this effort is intended to provide faster shipping to ARB's distributors and a larger available inventory of its expanding product line.
Chris Wood spent the morning providing me with a detailed review of ARB's newest products, including HID and extreme-duty lighting, the new Xjack, recovery bags, Dakar springs, and rear bumpers. ARB is working hard to address the needs of the expedition market. After several hours of reviewing all of the great gear, Chris handed over the keys to the 4Runner, and I was on my way east and into the snowpacked Cascade Mountain Range.
Moving through Seattle's traffic was easy with the 4Runner's 4.7L V8 responding quickly to throttle input, and the four-wheel disc brakes ensuring safe stops. Continuing east, I gained elevation and left the city behind, winding through Interstate 90 en route to Oregon. The deep snow of the Cascades provided the first opportunity to test the Toyota's full-time 4WD system and traction control. The ARB 4Runner has numerous traction options available, including full-time 4WD with the center differential unlocked, 4-Hi with the center differential locked (CDL), 4-Lo with or without CDL, factory traction control, or either the front or rear differentials locked with Air Lockers. These options provided excellent driver control in all environments.
The first challenge for the 4Runner was a rocky trail in western Idaho, which included large boulders, several waterfalls, and a series of earthen and rock ledges. This allowed me to test the Old Man Emu suspension, 265/70R17 BFGoodrich All-Terrains, Air Lockers, and the ARB side rails. The only limit I found to the trail performance was the lack of transmission protection and somewhat limited departure angle. The vehicle is not intended to be a rockcrawler, but it performed well in that environment. The combination of locking differentials and traction control meant grip was never an issue, and the Bull Bar and side rails protected the sheetmetal. On the moderate trails, the Old Man Emu suspension was most impressive, with spot-on valving and spring rates controlling the heavy chassis and limiting pitch/roll and providing balanced articulation.
The adventure continued farther south, crossing into Utah and to the Little Sahara OHV area west of Interstate 15. The Little Sahara is a 120-square-mile BLM-managed area in the Sevier Desert open to off-road vehicle use. This area gave me the chance to test the truck's performance in deep sand and dune climbing. Even without airing the tires down, I knew the 4Runner was going to rule the sand. The good weight distribution, five-speed automatic, and 235hp V8 made for a great dune runner. In 4-Hi with the CDL locked (which disabled the Vehicle Stability Control), driving the dunes was easy. Plenty of torque and a low center of gravity allowed the SUV to carve the bowls and make all of the climbs I encountered.
The Little Sahara also gave me the chance to test the new Xjack exhaust jack from ARB. This unit uses exhaust pressure to fill a large rubber chamber, distributing the vehicle's weight across the sand or mud and lifting an entire side to allow for recovery or changing a tire. The unit worked well, lifting the 4Runner in less than a minute. The bag has 30 inches of lifting height and can support 8,800 pounds.
After leaving the Sevier Desert, my route took me high into the mountains north of Minersville and the deep snow of the winter storms. Snow and ice is a challenging environment for any vehicle, but it does favor a longer wheelbase and good weight distribution. The trail started wide and smooth, with long stretches of ice and compacted snow. With the 4Runner in 4-Hi and the CDL unlocked, progress was easy, with little understeer or sliding. Having all of the differentials open and the electronic traction and stability control available was the perfect combination for this environment.
Leaving the main trail onto a snowpacked two-track, I engaged Low range and CDL and allowed the traction control to work, maximizing steering control. However, the trail conditions continued to deteriorate as I gained elevation, encountering several cross-axle, snow-filled ditches. At this point, I locked the rear Air Locker and applied additional throttle to keep momentum and limit the chance of sliding off the trail. Near the high point of the trail, the snow was almost 2 feet deep, and a washout cambered the trail near the hillside. I engaged both Air Lockers and eased the 4Runner through the washout. The front end pulled straight and clawed over the lip as the rear started to slide toward the ditch. I dipped farther into the throttle and the V8 responded, allowing the tires to dig and pull to the top. That portion of the trail was very technical, with extremely loose and slick surface conditions, yet the winch line remained spooled, and I grew even more confident in the Toyota. By the time I reached the southern slopes, it was dark. It wasn't dark for long though, as I fired up all nine IPF lights: two foglamps in the Bull Bar, a driving and spot mounted to the bumper, and a combination of five more on the rack. The light output was incredible, making higher-speed travel at night a safe option.
The final adventure with the 4Runner was a 200-plus-mile expedition across southern Arizona, traversing the infamous El Camino del Diablo. This route is one of the harshest environments in the Southwest, with deep silt, miles of heavy corrugations, and extreme temperatures. The 4Runner never complained, and the ARB accessories improved on this already great package, making this Toyota a fantastic solution for the overland explorer.


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Western Australia: Blooms in the dust
MORAWA feels like the middle of nowhere.
Over 100km inland from the coast of Western Australia, and with a population of about 600, it may as well be the middle of nowhere.
The isolated red-dirt roads, the abandoned streets, the two-storey pub that gives the distinct impression that it's for locals only and the one clothing store that smells like mothballs, all leave visitors wondering if they've walked into an Australian Outback stereotype.
Yet, for a few months of the year, this tiny town's rough edges soften, tourists are tolerated (if not welcomed) and Morawa literally blossoms - it's wildflower season.
From August to October, carpets of flowers cover the rolling hills of the region, drawing visitors from all over.
More than 12,000 varieties (that's flowers, not visitors) spring up in Western Australia after the winter rains and, with more than 60 per cent being unique to the state, it makes WA one of the world's top spots for flora spotters.
While flowers dot many of the West Australian fields at this time, Mullewa, Morawa and Mingenew are the most popular places to view them in concentrated clusters. Seas of white and pink are common, with Rhodanthe chlorocepha flowers coating the landscape.
Coalseam Conservation Park offers one of the best vantage points for hunting wildflowers, including the elusive Wreath Leschenaultia - a strange species that fans out to look exactly like a wreath laid on the ground.
The helpful staff in the tourism office (you can't miss it as you drive through) can point out exactly where the best spots are for particular flowers, and provide good maps.
The president of the Morawa Tourist Information Centre, Marie Marks, says that last year, the season was spectacular but short-lived.
"The season started in early July, which is about normal," she explains. "But the main flowers that people come to see diminished very quickly with the hot weather and lack of rainfall."
Marks, who has been associated with wildflowers one way or another for over 26 years, says she loves the "community-driven" area.
Locals colloquially refer to the Rhodanthe wildflower varieties as "everlastings", possibly because they can be dried. But, sadly, the term is misleading; this season of colour will end.
Come late October, the wildflowers make way for a blistering hot summer, and Morawa will slip back into its familiar role as a sleepy little town, keeping its colourful secrets buried beneath the dusty red soil ... until next year.
Getting there: Air New Zealand have a direct flight from Auckland to Perth, where you can rent a car and drive north. Alternatively, you could fly to Geraldton and rent a vehicle from there.
Accommodation: Options are limited in Morawa, so if you stay in the town, book a chalet at the caravan park - they are new and spotless. Otherwise, try basing yourself in Geraldton and driving out for the day.

subset: commoncrawl


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NEW BRIGHTON, Pa. (AP) — The lawyer for a Pennsylvania bride accused of killing her niece after the wedding says the fatal shooting was an accident.
The attorney told the Beaver County Times on Saturday that 30-year-old newlywed Christina George-Harvan is "obviously completely distraught."
Police say George-Harvan, of Conway, shot 21-year-old Katelyn Francis on Thursday as they left a bar in New Brighton, about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh. The wedding was held earlier that day.
Police say they were arguing about who would be the designated driver when the bride grabbed a gun from her husband's truck and shot Francis, of Fairmont, W.Va.
Lawyer J. Lauson Cashdollar says George-Harvan simply tried to move the gun when it went off. She's charged with homicide and is being held without bail.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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If you're looking for the absolute highest performance stage or studio digital piano, the H-series models have been developed for you!
Physical modeling sound technology gives you the most expressive and authentic sound available.
A powerful, yet easy-to-use multi-touch user interface
A sturdy – yet supremely elegant design.
The Physis Piano generates sound through a Patented system of mathematical algorithms. This process reproduces with absolute fidelity the dynamics and physical-acoustic phenomena of the piano – giving you the absolute most expressive and authentic playing experience.
Taking over 7 years of intense research, the Physis Piano contains six different sound generation algorithms:
Acoustic Piano Model (APM), Electric Piano Model (EPM), Wurly Piano Model (WPM),
Clavi Piano Model (CPM), Acoustic Mallet Model (AMM), High Definition Sound Engine (HDSE). This sound library has been designed and optimized to give you a set of reference sounds of a fidelity never experienced before.
The expressive possibilities of the Physis Piano are limitless. This instrument gives you not only a great control over the sound, but also endless customization.
You can create your own piano - modifying the length of the piano, the resonance of the strings, the morphology of the hammers and much more! Or, configure your own electric piano - modifying the position of the transducers or the size of the tone
bar. Everything thanks to the amazing internal computational power which is estimated at up to 24 BILLION calculations per second!
|PGK Physis Grand Keyboard - 73 lightweight hammer keys with "Ivory Feel" key tops - 3 contacts - Velocity curves: 5 preset + 4 user
|Sound Engines
|Acoustic Piano Model (APM), Electric Piano Model (EPM), Wurly Piano Model (WPM), Clavi Piano Model (CPM), Acoustic Mallet Model (AMM), High Definition Sound Engine (HDSE)
|Sound Modeling (macro parameters)
|APM: size, tuning, resonance, hammer, string type, hit point, EPM: hammer velocity, damper felt, tone bar dimension, tine position, WPM: hammer velocity, damper felt, reed size, reed position, CPM: tangent velocity, key-off noise, pickup position, clave aging, AMM: bar material, mallet material, rotor speed, hit point, clavi panel
|6 sound families (Piano, E. Piano, Mallet, Keyboard, Ensemble, Bass/Guit), 192 preset, 192 user; Voice mode: Single, Dual, Split.
|(Physis physical models APM,EPM,WPM,CPM,AMM: full polyphony: HDSE: up to 128 notes)
|Data Memory
|6 memory families, 192 presets, 192 user
|Sound Chain
|Master Section
|Song Mode
|usb device, demo, library, playlist
|Readable Files Format
|midi, audio (.wav, .mp3, .aiff, .aac, .m4a, .ape, .ogg)
|String Resonance
|Damper Resonance
|porta usb
|Internal Memory
|Multi-Touch Panel, Custom Configurable Interface, High Resolution Display (480x272 px, color, 4,3")
|Additional Controls
|Programmable Temperament, internal clock, file manager, transposer, view, standby
|Midi In/Out/Thru, Digital S/PDIF out, USB to Host and to Device, Headphone, Audio Output L/R: Balanced (XLR) and Unbalanced (TSR), Pedals: Sustain (gradual), Sostenuto, Soft, Controller 1 and 2: for switch or continuous controllers, programmable function
|Dimensions (WxHxD)
|mm 1154 x 141 x 347 - 45.43" x 5.55" x 13.66"
|Colours / Finishes
|Kg 18 / Lbs 39,68
Italian Design: Beaty and Passion
The design of the H series sets a new aesthetic standard in the portable piano business. Where you'd normally find a confusing array of buttons on previous models – the H-series piano has a clean and modern dark glass panel surrounded by beautiful brushed-aluminum . The meticulous attention to detail gives this instrument an innovative and extraordinary elegant look.
The exclusive multi-touch control panel lends elegance and functionality to the instrument.
There are NO BUTTONS on this specially-designed multi-touch glass panel. You can even control and edit the color configuration! The high-resolution graphic display gives you easy access to visual editing – making even the most complex parameters of Physis®'s algorithms easy to understand and modify. The Physis piano includes a Patented multi-touch control panel that is a joy to use. The 'Special Touch' backlit black-glass panel includes a high-resolution graphic display – making even the most complex parameters of Physis's algorithms easy to understand and modify. You'll find the tactile response of the panel simple, immediate and impressive. The graphic interface is completely customizable – so you can choose and edit the number of active icons and even the color configurations.
Tactile "Ivory Feel" Keys provide a heightened sense of 'feel'.
Keyboards made of ivory, historically used in high-class pianos, are known for their organic touch and tactile nature. This provides a wonderful 'feel' under your fingers. The Physis Grand Key Action has been designed with a specially formulated synthetic ivory to perfectly emulate this tactile feel of real ivory. The keys have a soft, slightly porous surface which gives great adhesion and natural friction as you play. These characteristics are particularly useful and pleasant during performances or long practice sessions. A key advantage of this specially-formulated synthetic ivory is it's maintenance free and easy to keep clean.
A system of complete "connectedness".
The H series PHYSIS PIANO is equipped with a professional set of I/O connections. The audio signal is available both as Analog ( ¼" Jack TS and balanced XLR) and Digital (S/PDIF via RCA connector). Pedals are connected through 3 standard ¼" jack connectors or through a dedicated multi-pin connector. Two auxiliary programmable pedals can also be connected. In addition to standard MIDI (in-out-thru), audio and headphones, the H series is also equipped with two USB connections (host and device). Through the latter you can connect to a computer or tablet and unlock a world of possibilities with 3rd party music applications. Through the USB host port you can connect a USB thumb drive to save or load all types of Physis data (Sounds, Memories, MIDI Songs). You can even save and share your physical model settings with friends!
Sound Generation
The Physis Piano generates sound through a Patented system of mathematical algorithms. This process reproduces with absolute fidelity the dynamics and physical-acoustic phenomena of the piano – giving you the absolute most expressive and authentic playing experience.
Taking over 7 years of intense research, the Physis Piano contains six different sound generation algorithms: Acoustic Piano Model (APM), Electric Piano Model (EPM), Wurly Piano Model (WPM), Clavi Piano Model (CPM), Acoustic Mallet Model (AMM), High Definition Sound Engine (HDSE). This sound library has been designed and optimized to give you a set of reference sounds of a fidelity never experienced before. The expressive possibilities of the Physis Piano are limitless. This instrument gives you not only a great control over the sound, but also endless customization. You can create your own piano - modifying the length of the piano, the resonance of the strings, the morphology of the hammers and much more! Or, configure your own electric piano - modifying the position of the transducers or the size of the tone bar. Everything thanks to the amazing internal computational power which is estimated at up to 24 BILLION calculations per second!
The instrument has 192 'ready-to-use' preset sounds - with many more available for you to customize to suit your tastes and needs. These sounds can be combined in 'Dual' and 'Split' modes. Your combinations can easily be saved in Memory. You'll find programming of sounds both powerful and intuitive. Thanks to physical modeling, there are new and limitless possibilities to create your own sounds. The power is in your hands to create exactly what you want!
Dynamics of the Timbre and your touch are intertwined
Physis Piano's Physical modeling technology offers numerous advantages when compared with traditional and commonly used 'sampling'. One of the advantages is the continual variation of the timbre in real-time while you play it. When you play an acoustic piano the intensity of the touch affects not only the volume, but also the tone. This is an ongoing, organic process. Physis technology accurately reproduces this phenomenon by reacting continually and proportionally as you modify your touch. Sampled pianos have clearly perceptible discontinuities in timbre and dynamics related to the samples used for different key velocities.
An easy-to-use Recorder
Recording and playback is a useful way to save and evaluate your performance. There are 2 recording tracks available to record independently or in combination. Recording is performed in MIDI format. You can also play audio files in various formats and store / load your songs onto a USB storage device (like a thumb-drive).
General Info
|Where is the Physis piano made?
|The concept, the design and production is 100% Italian.
|Are there additional accessories available for the Physis piano?
|There are two stands properly designed for the piano: ST1 with 6 speakers (2x6"+2x3"+2x1") and 4 amplifiers (2x30W+2x30W), ST2 with simple metal support and the possibility to add two speaker boxes SP2 specifically designed for the Physis piano. Pedals are also available: PD1 is a single piano pedal, while PD3 is 3 pedal group with continuous sustain. A piano bag with trolley is also available.
|Are the pedals and music stand provided as standard?
|How much does it weight?
|The H1 piano weights 27Kg, but if you want a lighter version, the H2 is 21Kg only.
|Are H1 and H2 the only models?
|No, in the 2013 many other models with cabinet will be introduced.
|Can I play with a desired timbre when the piano sequencer is playing a MIDI file from USB?
|You can play, but with the same timbre of the MIDI file.
|Is a PC Editor available?
|No, a PC editor it is not necessary since all the operations can be easily and clearly done by using the instrument touch panel and display.
|Is there a Sequencer?
|Yes there is a two track recorder-player.
|Can the piano sequencer play GM2 Midi Song files?
|No, the piano it is not GM2 compatible and can play only two track Songs with the timbres available from the instrument.
|What actions can be performed by connecting the instrument to a computer via USB cable?
|You can exchange data using MIDI protocol
|What is the capacity of the internal memory? Can it be expanded?
|The instrument has 1Gb of space allocated to the file system, where songs, Memories and Sounds are stored, together with the software. Another 1Gb of memory contains sampled sounds. The internal memory cannot be expanded.
|Which operating systems are compatible with the USB ports of Physis Piano?
|The USB host port (the one on the front) is compatible with all mass storage devices - in particular USB thumb-drive systems. The USB device (TO HOST) port, located on the rear of the instrument, can communicate with Windows, MAC and Linux operating systems.
|Does the instrument have programmable MIDI functions like a master keyboard?
|Strictly speaking, the instrument is not designed as a master keyboard. However, the MIDI setup for both keyboard sections can be programmed independently. The same is true for the LOCAL OFF function. This means that the user can create memories in which one or both sections control an external sound generator (either an expander, a computer etc.)
|Does the keyboard transmit aftertouch information?
|Physically, the instrument does not have a pitch bender or modulation wheel. Can it receive this kind of MIDI messages anyway?
|Yes, the keyboard receives this kind of input; however, the pitch bender and modulation wheel only affect sounds of the KEYBOARD, ENSEMBLE and BASS/GUIT. families. Physical models (φ PIANO, φ E.PIANO, φ MALLET) are not affected by these kinds of MIDI messages
|What is the difference between the H1 and H2 keyboard?
|Both have Graded Hammer, Ivory sense and 3 contacts feature. The H1 keyboard also has wooden keys.
|What can I do if don't like the keyboard response?
|You can program and adjust dynamic sensitivity at your taste.
|What is the advantage of a 3 contacts keyboard over a common 2 contacts one?
|The key action detection is more detailed and ribattutos are faster
|Is the display touch-sensitive?
|No, because operating a screen with your finger reduces visibility and leaves fingerprints on it.
|Can I connect the piano to a computer?
|Yes, trough USB device connector.
|Can I save my Sounds, Memories or Songs?
|Yes, you can save on the internal memory or the external USB memory card.
|What does dual touch means?
|You can press two Sound families buttons at the same time in order to simultaneously play two Sounds.
|What is the view function?
|This exclusive function lets you customize the piano control panel appearance by changing the buttons colour, intensity and the panel parts that you want to see.
|Which is the utility of the view function?
|You can adjust the button light intensity according to playing condition. You can adjust the colour at your taste. You can switch off part of the panel for special use. For example, you can switch off all the panel during a concert to prevent the instrument from being accidentally altered by a player, or you can just show the volume and Sound buttons to a children, or ….
|Does the piano support "half pedaling"?
|The piano is supplied with dedicated stand alone group of 3 pedals : sustain, sostenuto and soft. The sustain pedal has a gradual sensing detection that allow "half pedalling".
|How does the "half pedal" (also gradual resonance pedal) function work?
|In an acoustic piano, as you depress and release the sustain pedal, the dampers correspondingly move gradually, so as to control the notes' resonance and duration in varying amounts. The Physis piano is capable of reproducing an unlimited amount of variations in the pedaling, just like it's acoustic counterpart. This allows the player complete control of the sound generated by the instrument.
|Can I use the half pedal function by connecting a single pedal to the sustain connector?
|Yes, as long as you use a "continuous control" pedal. This device detects the pressure level and sends out the signal to the instrument. You cannot use the half pedal function with a switch pedal, since "switch-type" pedals only have two positions: on and off.
|Can I edit the Physical modeling parameters for each note? Do they apply to the whole keyboard?
|The fine tuning parameter can be adjusted for each note of the keyboard. All the other parameters are global, meaning they apply to all 88 notes of the keyboard; the influence of each parameter on each note has been finely calibrated by our sound engineers.
|Can I make my own Sounds?
|Yes, this is a great feature of the instrument. You can easily make your sound by adjusting macro-parameters with an intuitive graphic interface or you can fine-tune all the technical micro-parameters if you feel to.
|How large is the polyphony?
|Each of the 5 physical modelling instruments have full polyphony (whole keyboard), while the HDSE allow for up to 128 notes.
|How many Sounds are available?
|192 factory set + 192 user made. All can be recalled via MIDI Bank select and Program Change messages.
|How many Memories are available?
|192 factory set + 192 user made. All can be recalled via MIDI Bank select and Program Change messages.
|Can I play two Sounds at the same time?
|Yes, you can do it in Dual or Split mode.
|What does sound chain mean?
|Any Sound includes a flexible effect chain comprising: COMPRESSOR, AMPLIFIER, EQUALIZER, EFFECT. All these are cascaded to the SOUND EDIT module, responsible for the editing and fine-tuning of the sound character (in both the physical modelled instruments and the HDSE). Each of the effect chain components have a dedicated editing page.
|Why did you use 6 DSPs when other instruments commonly use only one or two?
|The degree of complexity and detail of the physical piano model is so high to require more than one DSP.
|What does parallel processing mean?
|It means that 6 DSPs work at the same time to generate the sound by sharing the amazing computational power of 24 Billion of operations per second.
|Are the Sound patch-list available to be used with common computer program like CuBase, ProTools, etc?
|Will there be additional Sound-patches (models) to be downloaded from the Internet ? If so, how easy is it to download them to my Physis piano?
|Yes, additional factory and user Sounds and patches will be available on physispiano.com. This means users will be able to share their own made Sounds! The new contents can be easily downloaded on a computer and wrote to a USB pen drive. By plugging the USB pen drive to the piano contents can be trasferred to the piano internal memory. There will be also a dedicated forum for all the Physis Piano topics.
|Is the physis piano GM2 compliant?
|Why physical modelling (PM) sound is better than the largely used sampling technology (ST)?
|ST sounds are only poorly adjustable, while PM sounds can be widely customized in order to obtain your own instruments, faithful to a real counterpart or creative. ST sounds are just a recording made in specific conditions, while PM sounds are the result of a computation that takes into account both the physical phenomena that generates sound and the interaction between the strings. This phenomenon is known as Sympathetic Resonance. Some ST instruments try to mimic such effect, but the result is rough, while it is exact with PM, giving a wonderful realism and vividness to the generated sound. ST is intrinsically a split technology, since each instrument is made by a collection of samples (sound split) that correspond to a specific keyboard area at a specific velocity. This causes artifacts due to jumps between different sounds of the collection. Contrarily, PM is a continuous technology because each synthesized note corresponds exactly to the one of the real instrument, authentically reproducing timbre and dynamic.
|Can I save and rename my edited options?
|All edited resources (Songs, Memories, Sounds) can be saved either to the internal memory or to an external USB device. A virtual typing keyboard allows you to rename your resources.
|Can I rename, edit or move factory Sounds?
|Each sound family has 64 locations. The first 32 of these locations are called Presets and are already programmed. Presets cannot be modified nor moved. The other half of the locations (32), called User locations, can be edited, moved and saved freely. When you receive a new Physis Piano, the User locations are identical to the Presets. Any location, either User or Preset, may work as a model, that is, a starting point to create your own Sound or Memory, which must then be saved to a User location.
|I don't like the changes I have made to the instrument. Can I undo them? How?
|The instrument can be reset to its original factory settings by accessing the FUNCTION menu and then SETUP, FACTORY RESET.
|How is Physis different - and better - than computer-based software piano libraries?
|First, Physis is better because it's much more simple and reliable than computer-software piano libraries. In fact the Physis piano is especially designed and optimized to produce the highest-quality sound in a compact and self-contained instrument, while with software piano libraries you need a computer, a piano keyboard, a software setup, cables, more space, ….. moreover in some situations the computers' fan noise can be distracting. Second, software piano libraries being sampled based, Physis is better as explained in the FAQ "Why physical modelling (PM) sound is better than the largely used sampling technology (ST)?"
|How is Physis different - and better - than computer-based physical modeling?
|First, Physis is better because it's much more simple and reliable than computer-based physical modeling. In fact Physis piano is especially designed and optimized to produce the highest quality piano sound and performance in a compact and self-contained solution, while with computer-based physical modeling you need a computer, a piano keyboard, software setup, cables, speakers, more space, etc ….. moreover, in some situations, the computers' fan noise can be distracting. Second, the Physis Piano includes an authentic graded-hammer keyboard with optimized touch that is matched perfectly to the sound production, while, with computer-based physical modeling, you need an external keyboard that may need modifications to find the proper settings for the touch sensitivity. Third, Physis Piano has been designed for musicians and not for scientists. In fact, even though physical modeling is an extremely complex concept, the Physis user interface is very simple to use regardless of the person's musical and technical background. Fourth, the sound produced by the Physis Piano is the result of 7 years of intense Research & Development - in cooperation with academic researchers and several world-class Universities. The Physis physical modeling technology is exclusively unique, is patented and is considered one of the finest in the world by piano and technology experts.


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About Me
My name is Ethan, and I live in Arizona. I'm a 7th grader. I play soccer, swim, snowboard, and play video games. I play on the Wii and online. I like a website that is called Minecraft, in Minecraft you can mine or build stuff. Math is my favorite subject at school. I like reading for fun.
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Decision : CONF 005 XV.42-43
Representation on the World Heritage Committee
42. The representative of Algeria noted that the present composition of the World Heritage Committee was somewhat imbalanced in terms of geographical representation, with a particular lack of representation of African States Parties. This meant that there was a resulting imbalance in the representation of cultural regions. The Algerian representative suggested that the Bureau and the Committee should re-examine the voting procedure for the General Assembly of States Parties.
43. The Committee agreed that there was a need to ensure an equitable representation of the different regions and cultures of the world, as is stated in Article 8, paragraph 1 of the Convention. It requested the Secretariat to present the Bureau and the Committee with proposals which would respond to this need and which could eventually be adopted by the 7th General Assembly of States Parties in 1989.


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Paulette Velazquez
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Paulette Velazquez holds a master's degree in horn performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a bachelor's degree in horn performance from the University of Illinois. Velazquez is an active freelance musician playing regularly with Elgin Symphony, Chicago Sinfonietta, Joffery Ballet, the New Philharmonic and at various theaters in Chicago. Velazquez is a member of the applied faculty at Lewis University and the College of DuPage as well as Saint Xavier University. She also maintains a very active private teaching schedule teaching students from the Joliet, Lockport, Frankort and Plainfield area schools. Before returning to Chicago, Paulette was principal horn of La Filarmonica de Jalisco for two years, located in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Velazquez's principal teachers include A. David Krehbiel, former principal horn San Francisco Symphony, and Dan Gingrich, principal Chicago Symphony.
Courses Offered
- Applied French Horn
- SpTp: Music and Film


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Paul E. Donnelly was born in Canada and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Bonaventure College in 1941. He was commissioned a field artillery second lieutenant that same year, and reported soon after to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he received his initial branch training. In September 1942, he graduated in the 35th basic parachutist class at Fort Benning, Georgia. He became a battery commander in the 376th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in September 1942. From then until June 1948, he served as a field artillery officer in the 82d Airborne Division, holding positions as battery commander, liaison officer, communications officer, adjutant and other staff assignments. His tenure with the newly formed division included participation in the Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Anzio, Rome-Arno, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe campaigns, including several combat jumps, during World War II.
Assigned to the post-World War II 82d Airborne Division, Captain Donnelly was selected to serve as a State Department observer on the United Nations Truce Commission in Palestine in 1948. He returned to Fort Bragg as a battalion executive officer in the 82d Airborne 319th Field Artillery Battalion, serving in several other staff positions until he attended the Advanced Field Artillery Officer Course in 1950. Upon graduation, he remained at Fort Sill as an instructor, then received special weapons training. His third overseas tour was as a commander and advisor in Thailand from 1954 until 1955. Major Donnelly returned to St. Bonaventure in 1954 as an assistant professor of military science, working very closely with the corps of cadets. He was influential in mentoring the Class of 1956 that produced two future general officers, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) John Mitchell and Brig. Gen. (Ret) Joseph Nagel. Advanced military schooling followed, and after being promoted to lieutenant colonel, Donnelly commanded a missile battalion in the 81st Artillery, Federal Republic of Germany from 1959 until 1961.
Following this command, Donnelly received additional special weapons training and was assigned to NORAD (North American Air Defense Command) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he eventually served as the acting chief of intelligence for the director of threat assessment, CONAD (Continental Air Command). In January 1965, he began his fifth overseas tour as plans officer, U.S. Military Assistance Command-Vietnam. Returning to the United States in January 1966, he became chief, Organization and Training Branch, DCS Intelligence at Fort Monroe, Virginia. In May 1967, he supervised ROTC training as chief of the Training and Education Division, which was his last assignment before retiring in 1974. Colonel Donnelly awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (arrow head device and 7 bronze service stars), World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), National Defense Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device, the Master Parachutist Badge with Combat Stars, Belgian Fourragere, Netherlands Orange Lanyard, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation and seven Overseas Service Bars.
Born on 20 August 1927, Robert A. Gavin was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Gavin and the brother of Frances A. and Rev. Robert Gavin, O.F.M. of Olean, New York. He attended St. Mary's Academy and graduated from Olean High School in 1945.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the close of World War II and served at Fort Dix, New Jersey from October 1945 until November 1946, when he was honorably discharged as a corporal. Upon graduation from St. Bonaventure University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1951, Gavin earned his commission as a second lieutenant in field Artillery. Called to active duty later that year, he served with the 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and took part in the Texas Maneuvers during the fall of 1952 at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Second Lieutenant Gavin completed the anti-aircraft and guided missile courses at Fort Bliss, and was assigned overseas, first in Japan, and then in Korea. He served in combat for two months as a forward observer in the 48th Field Artillery Battalion, 7th Infantry Division. In February 1953, Gavin became an automatic weapons platoon leader in the 15th AAAAW Battalion. On Tuesday, 24 March 1953, near Sonbyok, Korea, Gavin was leading his platoon under intense North Korean fire. St. Bonaventure student newspaper, The Bona Venture, reported on 30 October 1953,
"Lieutenant Gavin distinguished himself by going forward under enemy mortar fire to aid one of his wounded men. Upon hearing that another one of his men had been hit, the platoon leader went forward again. Although he returned both men, Lt. Gavin suffered fatal wounds from mortar fragments."
One of the 27 men whose names are on the memorial stone located outside the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at St. Bonaventure University, Robert A. Gavin '51 was awarded posthumously the Silver Star, for gallantry in action near Sonbyok, Korea.
A 1941 graduate of St. Bonaventure College, John M. Hart earned his Bachelor of Arts degree and commission as a second lieutenant of field artillery from the St. Bonaventure Army ROTC program. Upon completing the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, he was assigned to the 2nd Armored Division, with whom he served throughout World War II "from Benning to Berlin." His assignments in the division 78th Field Artillery Battalion included aerial observer, battery executive officer and assistant S3/fire direction officer, and he saw combat in North Africa, Sicily, Normandy and the Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central European campaigns, including assault landings at Sicily and Normandy. Between World War II and the Korean War, Hart returned to Fort Benning, where he was assigned to the 83rd Field Artillery Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment (also known as School Troops Battalion). In 1949, he went to Fort Sill, Oklahoma to complete the Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course, and was then assigned as survey instructor in Fort Sill department of observation (target acquisition). Upon completion of the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, he departed for Korea, and joined the 3rd Infantry Division, where he worked in DIVARTY as the S \_3 and S\_2 at different times during his second combat tour.
Returning from Korea, Hart completed the Strategic Intelligence School and then served in the Pentagon from 1953 until 1956, before returning to Fort Bragg to command three different battalions in the XV III Airborne Corps Artillery. He commanded a 155mm howitzer unit (777th Field Artillery Battalion), then the 250th Field Artillery Battalion, which had the honor of being the first Honest John Battalion east of the Mississippi, and finally the 83rd Field Artillery Battalion (8" Howitzer). He was also executive officer of the 54th Field Artillery Group, acting G3 of the XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery and field artillery staff officer of the XVIII Airborne Corps tactical operations center (TOC). He was also selected to observe the last testing of an atomic weapon at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. He completed the Senior Officer Nuclear Weapons Employment Course at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1958 and then went to Japan for a three-year assignment as chief of the surface to air missile branch, before he finally returned to St. Bonaventure University in 1962. At St. Bonaventure, Hart spent five years as the professor of military science, whereupon he retired from active duty in 1967.
Colonel Hart is the honorary colonel of the 78th Artillery regiment. His awards and decorations include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Soldiers Medal, Bronze Star (2 oak leaf clusters), Army Commendation Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (arrowhead device and 7 bronze service stars), World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), National Defense Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Korean Service Medal (3 bronze service stars), United Nations Korean Service Medal, Belgian Fourragere, French Croix de Guerre with Silver Star, the Presidential Unit Citation, Distinguished Unit Citation (with oak leaf cluster) and the Republic of Korea Unit Citation.
An Olean, New York resident, Leo E. Keenan III was a Distinguished Military Graduate of St. Bonaventure University Class of 1971. He was commissioned a second lieutenant of armor and immediately following graduation he reported to Fort Hood, Texas where he was assigned as a platoon leader in the 1-13th Armor.
After several months, Keenan attended the Armor Officer Basic Course at Fort Knox and was reassigned to Fort Carson, Colorado, where he was a tank platoon leader, tank company executive officer, and battalion S-1. In 1974 Lieutenant Keenan reported into the 3rd Armored Division (2-33rd Armor in Kirchgons, Federal Republic of Germany) where he served as a tank company executive officer, battalion S-1 and a tank company commander. During his 39 months in Germany he was also an aide-de-camp for the assistant division commander. Returning to the U.S., Captain Keenan reported to St. Bonaventure University as an Assistant Professor of Military Science, serving at his from 1978 until 1980. He subsequently was assigned to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas as a project officer for the Army Training and Evaluation Program (ARTEP), and assistant secretary for the Command and General Staff College (CGSC).
In 1985, Major Keenan began another overseas tour in Germany with the 1st Armored Division. From 1985 through 1989, he served as a tank battalion executive officer for 1-13th Armor in Illesheim; director of personnel and community affairs (DPCA) for the Ansbach Military Community; and then as the secretary of the general staff for the 1st Armored Division in Ansbach. Lieutenant Colonel Keenan returned to Fort Carson in 1989 to assume command of the 2-77 Armor Battalion (Iron Tigers). Following command he became the force integration staff officer and chief of staff for the 4th Infantry Division Rear Command Post. In 1993 Colonel Keenan reported to Cadet Command at Fort Monroe, Virginia, where he was assigned as the director of personnel and administration for three years. On 30 September 1996, Colonel Keenan retired from active duty after serving for more than 25 years.
Colonel Keenan military schooling includes the United States Army War College, The U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the U.S. Army Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Organizational Maintenance Officer Course, Armor Officer Basic Course and Airborne School. In addition to his Bachelor of Arts degree in History, he earned a Master of Science in Education-Counseling from St. Bonaventure University in 1981. His awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (3 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal (2d award) Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (2d award) and the Parachutist Badge. He also was awarded the Order of St. George Medal for his years of service as an armor officer.
Born in Norwood, West Virginia, David M. Lewis began his 30-year military career at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in August 1956, when he was assigned to the 82d Airborne Division after completing Infantry Advanced Individual Training and the U.S . Army Airborne School. He soon applied for and was accepted as a candidate for the recently established U.S. Army Special Forces, with whom he eventually served in the 5th, 7th and 10th Special Forces Groups.
Assigned to duty as a Special Forces NCO in Vietnam, he served in combat for more than two years in six different campaigns, including a posting as a Cambodian irregular infantry company commander. He led soldiers through more than 50 firefights while conducting reconnaissance patrols along the in famous Ho Chi Min trail.
During the period following the Vietnam War, Lewis spent a great portion of his time in overseas assignments, including tours of duty in Bad Tolz, Germany, Okinawa and Thailand. He graduated from a variety of specialized military schools, to include: U.S. Army and Department of Defense language schools (Hebrew and German), JFK Special Warfare Center Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations courses, the Danish combat swimmer course and several European military parachutist schools.
Ultimately, he would use his extensive military schooling and combat experience to influence a generation of U.S. Army officers as a member of St. Bonaventure University Army ROTC cadre for an unprecedented 11 years (1975-1986.) Throughout that time, he shared the wealth of his knowledge and experience with the Army upcoming leaders, who in turn carried his legacy into the renaissance of the U.S. Army. During his many years of affiliation with St. Bonaventure, he established the Ranger program, served as moderator of several classes and was the adjutant and commandant of cadets. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in social science from St. Bonaventure in 1981. In 1986, 30 years after first entering the military, Sergeant Major Lewis jumped at the Fort Benning Airborne School with his son, David III, who was commissioned as an infantry officer from St. Bonaventure in 1988.
Sergeant Major Lewis' 22 military awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster and device for valor, Good Conduct Medal (10th Award), National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 6 Service Stars, NCO Professional Development Ribbon with Numeral 1, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral l, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device, Presidential Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Combat Infantryman Badge, Special Forces Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, German and Greek Parachutist Badges, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation, Vietnam Civic Action Medal-1st Class and four Overseas Service Bars.
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Murrysville Couple fined by PA townhouse group over lights
A western Pennsylvania couple has racked up $400 in homeowners association fines because they use bright, colored lights and statues to decorate their townhouse for Christmas.
Eric and Mary Rehak tell the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review they've been fined $15 per day by the homeowners' association at Georgetown Commons in Murrysville, about 15 miles east of Pittsburgh.
In February, the group's council voted to change previous rules enacted by the homeowners, and to holiday lights to white only with one free-standing decoration.
But the Rehaks kept decorating as they've always done, with brightly colored lights in their eight windows and lighted Santa and snowman statues flanking their front door.
Association president Ladd Thompson says the decorations are "excessive" in both their type and duration. But association treasurer Mike Sullivan says the fines are "meddling" and "unnecessary."


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- Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson, (Ahman Green??), John Kuhn and Quinn Johnson. I particularly like reader RayMidge's suggestion that the Pack try to work in Brandon Jackson a bit more (but still get Grant 20+ carries). I think McCarthy may go heavier with the run than he has before and it will pay off. I think McCarthy is aware of the declining reputation of Minnesota's once vaunted run defense – they're just not as good as they used to be. Also, I know my praise for Antoine Winfield borders on ridiculous, but his absence is huge and not just for the passing game. Winfield does more from his CB position that just about any CB in the league, including stepping up and stopping big runs. Couple Winfield's absence with EJ Henderson either not playing or playing hurt and that makes the tackling at the second/third level suspect. Look for Ryan Grant to rack up some big yardage tomorrow.
- If I were McCarthy, I'd start early on with a few run plays right at Jared Allen, with Quinn Johnson leading the way. Johnson flattening Allen would show immediately that being hyper doesn't always win out. I'd also chuck a few screens over his head early on. Anything we can do to slow the guy down and/or limit his impact. He's a total idiot yes, but he's a good football player.
- Work Greg Jenning early until he gets too much attention, then shift to…James Jones. (Go to Driver throughout.) Jones could be a quiet factor in this game. The Vikes are down their best corner in Winfield, so that would leave their #4 corner trying to stay with Jones. That shouldn't be close. It might be smart for McCarthy to throw in a play or two for new #4 WR Jake Allen, by the way. Chances are MN won't know the first thing about him and he might be able to create a match-up problem here and there (he's 6'3″+ and has decent hands).
- Two significant Packer players didn't play much (or at all) in game 1 against Minnesota – Clay Matthews and Atari Bigby. Matthews did play and of course had that great strip/TD. But he'll be on the field for far more time in this game than he was in game 1 and that's good news. Atari Bigby, like friend Mike has said before, adds stability to our secondary because he can be trusted to be in the right place, if nothing else. Favre and co will be facing a less vulnerable defense tomorrow.
- AJ Hawk and Nick Barnett. It's easy to be active against crappy teams like Detroit and Cleve, but both of these guys were active and looked focused/sharp. Getting production from Hawk in particular when he's in there could be a quiet bonus.
- Cullen Jenkins. Even though his role in the 3-4 is said to be one of taking up blockers/gaps, Jenkins still manages to get stuff done. We could use a solid effort from him tomorrow. (I'll throw in Raji too – not many really know what he's capable of, this may be a good time to start showing it).
- Assuming McCarthy starts TJ Lang at LT, it will be a huge advantage in this game (especially compared to the first game) for the Packers to have two quality veteran players backing up the young starting RT and LT in Tauscher and Clifton.
- Jeremy Kapinos. He will have to punt at least a few times and field position will be important tomorrow.
- I'd take my chances by letting Favre beat us again. If we can shut down Peterson, but still manage to at least get some pressure on Favre when he throws, I would be absolutely shocked if the Vikes pull out the win on the strength of Favre's play like they did in game 1. Shocked. Our defensive line-up will be stronger than it was in game 1 and their defensive line-up will be considerably worse, it's not at Mall of America Field (still can't get over that), and I just don't think Favre will be mentally dialed in tomorrow. Because he's played well in a few big games this year, for some reason, lots of people are talking about how clutch Favre is and essentially, how mentally strong he is. As great as Favre was while a Packer, one concern we did blog about toward the end of his career in GB was this tendency to seemingly check out of games mentally. You'd see it on the sidelines when the cameras showed him standing around – he'd wear this somewhat vacant "we probably can't win this game" look. He'd do this after he made a mistake later in a game or at least when the offense had a bad turnover later in the game. I realize that this is a totally subjective comment, but I encourage you to look for this look in the 4th quarter tomorrow because I'm pretty sure we'll see it.
Packers vs Vikings Game Keys
2 Responses to "Packers vs Vikings Game Keys"
Matt Says:
November 1, 2009 at 7:36 am |
Those are a lot of things that need to go right for the Packers to win, which I guess is about right. Favre has driven the Vikings offense down the field vs. both good and bad teams all year. Packers D doesn't pose any bigger threat than Pitt or Balt, so he and AP should do the same.
Should be a fun shootout.
Twitter: @mjbtompkins
Kurmudge Says:
November 1, 2009 at 9:59 pm |
It wasn't.


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In this post, I'll be covering how to deal with negative blog comments.
Some bloggers seem to be gripped in fear and even decide to not have comments on their blog because they don't want to run the risk of receiving negative comments.
If this sounds like you, I'd really love to help you change the way you think about comments and that's because blog comments are actually really great for SEO, social proof and lead and traffic generation. So It might actually be a really good thing for your blog and business if you allow them on your blog.
So here's the scenario. You've published a post. You are really pleased about it (and so you should be, it's blummin' epic!)
You've taken the plunge to allow comments on your blog. You head out for the day. Do some shopping, have lunch with a friend, get home, have a nice bubble bath, but your PJs on, settle down for the night, check your WordPress dashboard and low and behold you've got your first REAL comment.
(Not counting your family members!)
Hoorah! You think!..
…You've made it.
But when you check out the comment, your heart sinks, you can't quite believe that someone would be so horrible. You slam shut your laptop and cry hysterically.
Yes you've guessed it, some fellow human being, who you have never heard of, has scrawled abuse all over your finest masterpiece and you're not sure what to do next?
How to deal with negative blog comments.
Now I've been blogging for almost 8 or 9 years (I can't actually remember) and I have never had a comment that was really nasty. I mean sure I've had people disagree with my points of view but I quite like a healthy debate. It actually helps to show your expertise and credibility in your niche. I'm not telling you that because I'm special, but just to show that it might not actually happen as much as we fear.
But perhaps I have been super lucky because there are nasty horrible people that like to make it their mission to troll and make other bloggers lives miserable.
So if it does happen to you. Let's have a think about what we can do. Yaro Starak over at Entrepreneurs Journey says you can do 4 things when dealing with negative comments on your blog.
- Delete
- Censor (edit parts)
- Respond in Anger GRRRR
- Respond in Kind 🙂
I would like to add:
5. that you could also choose to Ignore.
Depending on how offensive the comment is, you might just want to delete the comment. That's absolutely fine. It's your blog and you can do what you jolly well like. You might hear sometimes that you shouldn't delete negative remarks on social media. My general rule of thumb, is that if the comment is not in relation to a service or product you provide and it's causing icky feelings. Then just delete it.
Sometimes you might want to leave the comment up there but just sensor some of the words. For example, if you wanted to tone down the language (or expletives!) If you use WordPress you can easily do this in your dashboard. I sometimes do this if a commentator is having a really bad spelling day lol!
You could get really cross and blow steam out of your ears and then reply to the comment! But If you are seeing red, my general advise would be to step away from the screen! Go relax, chill out and then if 24 hours later you still need to explode, go ahead an knock yourself out. But really think about whether this is doing your reputation and professionalism any favours!
Or you could be uber nice. Take the upper hand, show them how calm you are. Kindly agree to disagree with said idiot, tell them eloquently why they are a giant buffoon and move on.
The beautiful thing about having a growing blog with traffic and a community is that you will normally see your regular commentators stick up for you. It always makes me smile when that happens.
Finally you could just ignore it. Reply to all you other comments, refuse to give the naysayer any of your beautiful energy.
If you are worried about comments appearing when you least expect it, make sure you set your blog to only allow moderated comments. I use Commentluv, not only because it's cool and looks great, but because it has a good spam filter too to stop those undesirable spammers.
Don't be disheartened by someone who has absolutely no idea about you, your life and what you've achieved.
At the end of the day you can't reason with unreasonable people!
Do you feel a bit scared about allowing people to comment on your blog? Have you experienced negative comments on your blog? What did you do, how did it make you feel. Please share your experiences with us below and please share with other bloggers if you think it will help them to deal with negative comments.


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As we continue to showcase a sample of the amazing StudioPress themes now available to WP Engine customers, we're extra excited to bring you this new StudioPress Theme: Breakthrough Pro, which is the first new theme to be launched since our acquisition of StudioPress in June.
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Breakthrough Pro
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Generalise the sum of a GP by using derivatives to make the
coefficients into powers of the natural numbers.
Find all the turning points of y=x^{1/x} for x>0 and decide
whether each is a maximum or minimum. Give a sketch of the graph.
This function involves absolute values. To find the slope on the
slide use different equations to define the function in different
parts of its domain.


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Erimish Beaded Bracelet - TB-801
Regular price $6.49
Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.
This bracelet is the perfect addition to your arm party! They are super fun and easy to layer or stack with your favorite bracelets!
Bracelets are 'one size fits most' and are measured for a 7.5" wrist size.
Please be aware that due to the unique and handmade nature of each product, colors, shapes, and bead sizes may vary slightly from the photos and descriptions.


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Now showing items 1-1 of 1
Convergent transcriptional specializations in the brains of humans and song-learning birds.
(Science, 2014-12-12)
Song-learning birds and humans share independently evolved similarities in brain pathways for vocal learning that are essential for song and speech and are not found in most other species. Comparisons of brain transcriptomes ...


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Local government attempts to make citizens rat on welfare recipients
A goal of the resurgent Liberal Democratic Party is to reduce public welfare expenditures over the next three years by cutting handouts to the tune of ¥67 billion, or about 10 percent. The targets of these cuts are households who receive more money in welfare than do "lower income" households who don't, the purpose being to bring the monthly payments made to non-working poor families down to or below the monthly earnings of working poor families. Thus the public assistance payment for a family of four would drop from an average of ¥220,000 to ¥200,000.
As to what this family would have to give up, one category ripe for reduction is "recreation" (goraku), which includes everything from TV sets and PCs to books and magazines. However, according to a 2010 government survey, welfare recipients only spent 6.4 percent of their money on recreation, and due to the LDP's prime bugbear, deflation, they are spending less in this area all the time, so the keepers of the treasury will have to find other places to cut.
One public figure, however, feels that the goraku category hasn't been scrutinized enough. The city assembly of Ono, Hyogo Prefecture, passed a law that went into effect April 1 prohibiting people who receive public assistance from the city to use that money for gambling. The law also compels city residents to report any instance of gambling by welfare recipients to the police. Given the timing of the implementation and the nature of the law, some people may wonder if it's a joke, but Mayor Tsutomu Horai, who wrote it, is quite passionate about the matter, which is why the media have covered it so closely.
Ono currently pays out ¥290 million in welfare annually to 120 households. The population of the city is 50,000. The new law states that anyone who observes a welfare recipient spending "too much money" on gambling has a responsibility to report it to the authorities. The model seems to be local versions of child abuse prevention laws, which state that anyone who believes a child is the victim of violence or neglect must report the abuse to police.
The bill first became publicly known in February, before it was approved, and the city received some 7,000 "opinions" from all over Japan, 70 percent of which were positive. As Horai told the weekly magazine Aera at the time, "Let's say your friend asks to borrow money because of some trouble, and then later you see him playing pachinko. Naturally, you're going to be annoyed."
The problem, as he saw it, was that most people don't care about public money, and so he wants to change that perception. There is no penalty if a person sees a welfare recipient gambling and does not report it, probably because that would be impossible to prove. Horai certainly understands this, but claims that 90 percent of the city's residents, including welfare recipients themselves, support the law and so most of his job is already done.
The Hyogo Prefecture Bar Association has come out against the law, saying that its purpose of involving average citizens in the monitoring of welfare recipients' behavior will result in greater "discrimination of and bias toward" the latter. In fact, Ono's finances are healthier than most local government's. Its treasury actually reports a surplus balance of ¥8.5 billion, and the mayor himself has said that the aim of the law is not to reduce the welfare budget. If anything, he hopes the law will also alert people who may qualify for assistance to apply for it.
As it stands, the central government provides three-fourths of a typical handout with the remainder handled by municipalities. About 1.7 percent of the national population receives welfare, while the portion in Ono is only 0.3 percent. However, both statistics are on the rise — the number of recipients in Ono increased by 64 percent over the last five years — and is certainly a reflection of the economic situation in general, but Horai thinks that it has to do with a more relaxed attitude toward government handouts. He told Aera that he first thought of devising the bill when he was at city hall and overheard several people who were waiting on line for their welfare packets. One asked another, "Where are you going to play pachinko later?"
Horai focuses on pachinko, which, legally speaking, isn't gambling. Players can only earn money by trading the excess balls they win for premiums in the pachinko parlors and then "selling" those premiums at specially established booths outside the premises. Though no one is fooled that this isn't betting in practice, it's gambling by legal loophole. What's more, the off-site payment booths are regulated by the National Police Agency, so why doesn't pachinko qualify as legal recreation, which is considered acceptable for welfare recipients? And why doesn't Horai induce citizens to narc on welfare recipients who, say, buy lottery tickets?
Actually, he has an answer to those questions. "People say pachinko is merely entertainment," he told Aera. "But they don't understand reality. People who spend too much on pachinko are addicts." In truth, he wants welfare recipients who play "too much" pachinko to seek medical help, which they can do easily since, as welfare recipients, their medical insurance is free. Horai's system may not make much sense, but he wants you to know his heart is in the right place.
Tags: gambling, pachinko, public welfare


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Car enthusiasts will love this Saab 96 V4 diecast model car in 1:43 scale by IXO. Accurately modelled on a classic 1969 LHD vehicle with a black paint scheme complemented by a light grey interior, it's pre-built, ready to be displayed.
Crafted in diecast metal with some quality plastic parts, this authentic miniature car measures approximately 9.5cm in length and makes use of many intricate individual parts, mask-spraying and pad printing to produce an impressively detailed collectable.
Beautifully presented in an acrylic display case but, easily removable if preferred, this superb replica is outstanding value and will make a great addition to your model car collection or be the perfect gift for anyone with a passion for Saab's.
- Interior detail
- Free-rolling wheels
- Acrylic clear top display case
- Outer matt board cut-out window box
- Model easily removable from the display base (screwdriver required)
|Length (approx.):
|9.5 cm
|Main Parts:
|Limited Edition:
|Age Suitability:
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The Vale of Rheidol
Inland from Aberystwyth, the River Rheidol winds its way up to a secluded, wooded valley, where old industrial workings have sometimes moulded themselves into the contours, rising up past waterfalls and hamlets to Devil's Bridge. The latter is best accessed by narrow-gauge railway; otherwise you need your own transport.
Vale of Rheidol Railway
Steam trains on the narrow-gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway wheeze their way along steep hillsides from the Aber terminus to Devil's Bridge. It was built in 1902, ostensibly for the valley's lead mines but with a canny eye on its tourist potential as well, and has run ever since.
Devil's Bridge
Twelve miles east of Aberystwyth, folk legend, picturesque scenery and travellers' lore combine at DEVIL'S BRIDGE (Pontarfynach), a tiny settlement built solely for the growing visitor trade of the last few hundred years.
The bridge spanning the chasm of the churning River Mynach is actually three stacked bridges – the eleventh-century original, a stone arch from 1753 and the modern road bridge. Enter the turnstile upstream of the bridge and head down slippery steps to the deep cleft for a remarkable view of the Punch Bowl, where the water pounds and hurtles through the gap crowned by the bridges.
Bwlch Nant yr Arian
Bwlch Nant yr Arian is famous for its red kites, easy walks and varied mountain biking (no rentals). From the visitor centre, which has a decent café with a lovely deck, three well-marked walking trails (30min, 1hr & 2hr) head out into the evergreen forest and among the abandoned lead-mining detritus. The easiest and shortest trail loops around a lake past the kite hide, a superb spot for watching the daily red kite feeding (3pm, 2pm in winter) when 20lb of beef and lamb lure up to two hundred kites.
The Cambrian coast
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Helping Students Prepare for Exams
As you help your students prepare for final exams, consider the following suggestions from the Academic Center for Excellence at the University of Illinois, Chicago:
- Paraphrase as you review your notes, textbooks, etc. Paraphrasing requires you to use your own terminology, which helps you make connections between what you know and what you are learning. In other words, talk to yourself: "The author is saying ___."
- In addition to paraphrasing, relate ideas to one another. For example, look for similarities and differences when learning various theories versus simply memorizing.
- Use strategies that help you focus your attention such as highlighting a phrase at the beginning and/or end of a paragraph, and/or writing a brief note in the margin.
- Review charts, diagrams, and outlines.
- Study with another student or group. Rather than reciting information, explain what you've learned to your study partners.
- Pay close attention to study guides and topics mentioned during review sessions.
- Develop review tools such as summary sheets, charts, or diagrams. When developing these tools, try to condense and paraphrase, versus merely recopying your notes.
- Use flashcards sparingly. They can be useful for memorizing isolated facts, but they are not helpful for deep learning.
- Avoid marathon study sessions. Studying for short, intense time periods with greater concentration is better than long periods when you are tired and not connecting well with the material.
- Use mnemonic devices for making large lists or facts easier to recall. Mnemonic devices are short rhymes, phrases (i.e., "stop, drop, and roll"), words (e.g., H-O-M-E-S; Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior) or abbreviations.
- If practice exams are available, use them as a model and write your own additional exam questions, and/or use questions at the end of a chapter. If you struggle with timed tests, try to take at least one timed practice exam.
"Studying for Exams." Academic Center for Excellence. U. of Illinois, 2010. Web. 19 May 2010.
"Studying." Study Guides and Strategies, 1996. Web. 19 May 2010.
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Americans love scandal, especially juicy scandal involving their politicians and celebrities. But it will be interesting to see how they take to the scandal involving their football, both in the NFL and the college ranks. And Scandal Central is what the NFL and its NCAA-sponsored farm system, college football, has become.
Since this year's Super Bowl, at least 37 NFL players have been arrested, led by Aaron Hernandez, the New England Patriot's All-Pro tight-end who has been charged with murder. It seems that there are almost daily reports of DUIs, illegal gun possessions, or outright criminal behavior involving pro and college players—not to mention the sordid pedophilic legacy of Jerry Sandusky at Penn State.
Now publishing houses have begun to pursue the various scandals with books that track how football has gone from being America's true pastime to being an incubator for crime, greed, and a hazard to the health of its players.
The biggest threat to the very survival of the NFL may be the players, both active and retired, who suffer from an inordinate amount of concussions. Years of playing football—high school, college, and pro—and taking multiple hits to the head have made concussions the number one concern to the league and its players. For years, players were told to "shake it off" and get back into the game. Now—under the threat of a lawsuit—the league goes to extraordinary lengths to guard players who are concussed. How rampant has this been over the years? One just needs to read the obituaries of former NFL players and the words "dementia" and "Alzheimer's" will be found in a great number of them.
For years the NFL was in denial of the concussion epidemic, but just recently it reached a $765 million settlement with former players. The settlement was considered a victory for the NFL because if it went to court, estimates were that it might cost the league between two and three billion dollars.
Coincidentally, front and center this fall is League of Denial: The NFL, Concussions and the Battle for Truth by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru (Crown Archetype). Fainaru-Wada is the coauthor of Game of Shadows, which blew the top off the steroids scandal, and Fainaru is a Pulitzer Prize –winning journalist. League of Denial is hush-hush and has been embargoed—publisher-speak for we may or may not have something important here, but we'll keep you in suspense until you find out.
Crown Archetype was closed-lipped, but their catalogue promised "Two award-winning and bestselling authors will finally reveal the truth behind the relationship between brain injury and football."
The publication of the book coincides with the release of the PBS Frontline documentary also called League of Denial that will feature the two authors. Crown plans a 100,000-copy first printing, plus there will be heavy promotion, including Good Morning America, NPR's Morning Edition, an ABC Radio satellite tour, and two simultaneous first serials to ESPN The Magazine and Sports Illustrated. There will also be a Random House audio compact disc available.
The System: The Glory and Scandal of Big-Time College Football by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian (Doubleday) is an inside look at how big-time NCAA college football really works. "The depth of the reporting makes this book the most comprehensive portrait of college football ever written," claims its editor, Bill Thomas. "They also are ferocious investigative reporters, who reveal in powerful detail how much boosters will offer recruits, how the NCAA's investigative process crushes young men—teenagers, really—while letting the powerful money-generating institutions get off lightly, how football 'hostesses' are used as lures, and on and on." According to Thomas, the authors offer wise solutions: "Number one is proper monitoring. And they do believe that players should be paid, which will go some way to address the gross unfairness of the NCAA and the conferences making billions off the bodies of young men." Doubleday plans a massive publicity and promotion plan including a 75,000-copy first printing; publicity appearances on CBS This Morning, NPR's On Point, ESPN's Olbermann, and NPR's Only a Game.
Another book that looks at college football, but finds hope amid the chaos, is Fourth and Long by John Bacon (Simon & Schuster). "What makes Fourth and Long utterly unique," says Thomas LeBien, v-p, senior editor, is that "it comes at college football from a completely different direction, namely passion, the passion of amateur student athletes and the millions of fans who prefer amateur play to the professionalism of the NFL. John Bacon is as wide-eyed and critical of college football as anyone studying the game, but he rightly grasps that scandals stand atop greed, which is generated from the money being made off of our collective passion." S&S is already in its third printing and has 22,000-copies in print. Publicity is planned at the four schools featured in the book (Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, and Northwestern) as well national media, multiple alumni club events and online features.
November 22 is the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and Sports Publishing/Skyhorse looks back at that momentous year for the NFL in Clouds Over the Goalpost by Lew Freedman. The big scandal of 1963 was the banning of future Hall of Famers Paul Hornung, halfback of the Green Bay Packers, and Alex Karras, defensive tackle of the Detroit Lions, for gambling. "Rozelle had just taken over as commissioner of the NFL and was working diligently to build up the 'face of the NFL,' " says editor Jason Katzman. "With the AFL continuing to grow, the last thing that the NFL needed was a scandal. So when it came out that Karras and Hornung had been gambling, even though they were fan favorites, the NFL painted them as villains. Rozelle knew he had to make the right decision, so he decided to suspend both players for the entire season. Hornung admitted his mistake and understood the suspension, even stating, 'I did wrong…I should be penalized.' However, Karras was furious and held a grudge against Rozelle for the rest of his life."
The other decision Rozelle made that year is still controversial—two days after the assassination of JFK, before the President was even buried, he decided that the NFL should play as scheduled, even though the rival AFL canceled its games. "When looking back," says Katzman, "it's easy to say that the NFL made a horrible decision. Rozelle even stated that playing after the assassination was his biggest regret as commissioner." Sports Publishing plans a 15,000-copy first printing and publicity appearances in major NFL cities.
After all the criticism and speculation in books written by people who have never played a college or NFL down, it's refreshing to read through Slow Getting Up: A Story of NFL Survival from the Bottom of the Pile by former Denver Bronco receiver Nate Jackson (HarperCollins). Jackson was an undrafted free agent who went the less glamorous route to get to the NFL. His litany of injuries will shake the reader and he pulls no punches on what the NFL thinks of its players: "I am meat, traded to the highest bidder: the only bidder. Fine. I'll be your meat. I'll be whatever you want me to be. Just give me a helmet." He's also make you laugh along the way in this well-written memoir by an NFL journeyman.
Among all the doom and gloom about the NFL and NCAA there is a glimmer of hope in the form of The War on Football: Saving America's Game by Daniel J. Flynn (Regnery). One wonders if The War on Football has anything to do with another favorite conservative theme, the annual "War on Christmas." Regnery's executive editor Harry Crocker III quickly set PW straight with a succinct "None."
Crocker then went on to say that "Dan Flynn is passionate about defending a game he loves. There is a real threat to football. Columnists and writers are calling for its abolition. Dan's main point is that football's benefits far outweigh its risks. Amazingly, hardly anyone else is saying that." Reg-nery plans a 25,000-copy first printing.
Inside Lives
There's not much debate about biography in the world of sports publishing—it still leads the pack in popularity. Why the continued success of this genre?
"A memoir," says a succinct and right-on David Rosenthal, president and publisher, Blue Rider Press/Penguin, "closes the circle of intimacy with the fan."
There's that word again—embargoed! This time it refers to Undisputed Truth by Mike Tyson and Larry Sloman (November). Tyson, the former heavyweight boxing champ and convicted rapist, is apparently going to let it all hang out in this autobiography, but why the embargo? Says Rosenthal: "Because there is news value in the book, and to have little items from the book appear haphazardly and piecemeal does a disservice to a very fine memoir." Rosenthal goes on to say that "Mike Tyson is more than boxing champion—he has been a huge cultural figure in America for nearly three decades. The book feels very real, very raw, in terms of its anecdotes and language. It is also, as is Mike, really very funny at times." Blue Rider plans a 100,000-copy first printing backed by a major media campaign.
A different kind of biography—the bio of a radio station—is Imus, Mike and the Mad Dog & Doris from Rego Park: The Groundbreaking History of WFAN by Tim Sullivan (Triumph). WFAN is the prototype for the hundred-plus sports radio stations all over the country. From its humble beginnings in the mid-1980s (it's biggest sponsor was a cemetery) to its recent mega-million deal with the Yankees, the story of "the Fan" is filled with national personalities such as Don Imus, Mike Francesca and Christopher Russo. Triumph plans a 15,000-copy first printing and a media campaign heavily centered on the New York area.
There have been few athletes who revolutionized their sport the way Bobby Orr changed hockey. Orr could not only skate, shoot and score, but he did it from the blue line, creating a higher scoring game. He tells his story for the first time in Orr: My Story (Putnam). "Bobby Orr is a god," says Neil Nyren, senior v-p, publisher, editor-in-chief of Putnam. "And he has never done an autobiography or memoir, he has never authorized a biography. This is it. It's a big deal." Putnam plans an 85,000-copy first printing for the U.S. and another 160,000-copy first printing for Canada, with major media centered around the Boston and New York media markets.
A contemporary of Orr, on the basketball side, was Julius Erving and he has also decided to tell his story in Dr. J: The Autobiography (November). "Julius Erving is an American icon," says David Hirshey, senior v-p, executive editor at HarperCollins, "who has never told his unvarnished story before. It's the most honest sports autobiography since [Andre Agassi's] Open. Dr. J is told in a voice that's been channeled by a writer of bona fide literary pedigree, the novelist and journalist Karl Taro Greenfeld." Harper plans a 100,000-copy first printing and author appearances in New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
The baseball version of Methuselah would have to be Jamie Moyer, who pitched until he was 49 and had the most wins, losses, and strikeouts of any active major league pitcher at the time of his retirement. He now brings his story, Just Tell Me I Can't: How Jamie Moyer Defied the Radar Gun and Defeated Time (with Larry Platt; Grand Central). A 50,000-copy first printing and a six-city publicity tour are planned.
Inspire Me
One of the more quiet niches of sports publishing is the inspirational book. There can be several angles—religion, business, and, sometimes, pure inspirational altruism. Since there are so many facets to these popular titles it no wonder opinions differ as to what makes them special."
"Through inspirational, revealing, emotional memoirs," says Jennifer Schuster, senior editor, New American Library, "athletes connect with fans on a whole new level, sharing the behind-the-scenes story of their greatest triumphs and sometimes most poignant defeats."
"Sport is a huge part of our society," says Paul K. Muckley, senior editor-nonfiction, Barbour Books, "and people of faith enjoy athletics as much as anyone else. When they see that these high-profile players are living out their Christianity in the public eye, it's an encouragement to them in their own faith walk."
"Readers look for motivation and inspiration from a variety of sources," says George Witte, editor-in-chief, St. Martin's, "and sports books—especially those by coaches, as well as by athletes who have overcome adversity in their lives—offer lessons on persistence, focus, dealing with change, and balancing work with life priorities."
"Inspirational books are in high demand," says Katie Powell, a publicist at Thomas Nelson, "due to the rocky state of character in the athletic world today. There has to be a conversation about character; what's really important on a fundamental level."
It's hard to get much more inspiring than former Canadian football and NFL standout O.J. Brigance. After his career ended he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease) and told he didn't have much time left. Yet he survived and continues his amazing story as part of the front-office team of the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. Brigance now tells his poignant story in Strength of a Champion (NAL). "O.J. Brigance offers his unique life lessons," says NAL's Jennifer Schuster, "through the prism of the 2012 Raven's Super Bowl run. Brigance's story is heartbreaking, but it's also filled with resilience, determination, and the kind of inner strength that will inspire readers." Brigance will be appearing on CBS Sunday Morning on October 20.
There are few college basketball coaches who can match the resume of Louisville's Rick Pitino, and The One-Day Contract (St. Martin's) is Pitino's new business/motivational book, coming on the heels of leading the Louisville Cardinals to the NCAA Basketball Championship last March. "It shows readers," says St. Martin's Witte, "how Pitino used the concept of the one-day contract—a daily practice of focus, planning, adding value by attention to detail, and urgency—to guide Louisville to the title." St. Martin's plans a 100,000-copy first printing.
November 1 marks the 20th anniversary of Dr. George Sheehan's death and the publication of The Essential Sheehan: A Lifetime of Running Wisdom from the Legendary Dr. George Sheehan (Rodale). "Twenty years after George Sheehan's passing," says Mark Weinstein, executive editor, Rodale Books, "his message is as relevant and as needed as ever, if not more so. Sadly, the vast majority of his work is now out of print, so the idea behind the release of The Essential Sheehan (and the re-release of his classic, Running and Being) is to introduce his writings to a whole new generation of readers and runners" There will be an excerpt of The Essential Sheehan in the December issue of Runner's World and there will be promotions at both the Chicago and New York marathons.
With all the turmoil in the NFL and NCAA, one book that might have an assuaging effect on the gridiron warrior is Guts, Grace & Glory: A Football Devotional by Jim Grassi (Thomas Nelson). "It's relevant to NFL players," says Nelson's Katie Powell, "because they feel the intense glare of the spotlight on a daily basis and encounter many people who can easily steer them down a career-destroying path. Knowing where they stand in their faith and finding inspiration from others in the same position are paramount to making the right choices." Nelson plans major promotion on SBNation.com and extensive advertising and promotion within the Christian media.
Playing with Purpose: Inside the Lives and Faith of the NFL's Most Intriguing Personalities by Mike Yorkey (Barbour) chronicles the faith-based lives of famous players, including, Tim Tebow, Colin Kaepernick, and Drew Brees. "The NFL is king of American spectator sports," says Paul K. Muckley, senior editor, nonfiction, Barbour Books, "and we believe a lot of Christian fans would enjoy reading about players who share their faith." Barbour plans a 15,000-copy first printing.
The Football Season
Even with all the problems confronting the NFL and college football, books on football remain extremely popular and plentiful this holiday season:
RG3: The Promise by Dave Sheinin (Blue Rider Press). This is an in-depth look at the first season of Washington Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III by Washington Post reporter Sheinin.
No Plan B: Peyton Manning's Comeback with the Denver Broncos by Mark Kiszla (Taylor). Chronicling Manning's return from serious neck surgery to lead the Denver Broncos into the playoffs.
Their Life's Work: The Brotherhood of the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers, Then and Now by Gary M. Pomerantz (Simon & Schuster). Four Super Bowl Championships. Twelve Hall of Famers. Over 200 interviews.
Collision Low Crossers: A Year Inside the Turbulent World of NFL Football by Nicholas Dawidoff (Little Brown). Dawidoff, who wrote the wonderful Moe Berg biography The Catcher Was a Spy, spent a year inside the New York Jets locker room for this intensive look at professional football.
Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football by Rich Cohen (Farrar, Straus & Giroux). Jim McMahon at QB, Mike Singletary at linebacker, with Mike Ditka and Buddy Ryan on the sidelines, the story of the championship Bears.
Breaking the Line: The Season in Black College Football That Transformed the Sport and Changed the Course of Civil Rights by Samuel G. Freedman (Simon & Schuster). The book follows the 1967 season for Grambling and Florida A&M and their road to the Orange Bowl Classic for the black college championship in a game that's remembered to this day.
The Kids Got It Right by Jim Dent (Thomas Dunne/St. Martin's). Texas high school football in the 1960s set against the backdrop of the Civil Right Movement as a group of young players from the Lone Star State are thrust into the spotlight of integration
Unbeatable by Jerry Barca (St. Martin's). The 25th anniversary of the 1988 undefeated Lou Holtz–led Notre Dame football team—the last Fighting Irish squad to win the national title—is recalled.
The King of Sports by Gregg Easterbrook (Thomas Dunne/St. Martin's). The author of the hugely popular ESPN.com column "Tuesday Morning Quarterback" pens a probing view of the unique popularity of football on American society.
More Life Stories
Clemente: The True Legacy of an Undying Hero by the Clemente Family (Celebra/Penguin). This beautiful tribute to Clemente by his family is filled with color and black-and-white photos as it tells the story of the baseball Hall-of-Famer and philanthropist, who went on to become the Pittsburgh Pirates biggest star.
Phil Jackson: Lord of the Rings by Peter Richmond (Blue Rider Press). This is an unauthorized biography of the legendary Zenmeister coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.
Qaddafi's Point Guard: The Incredible Story of a Professional Basketball Player Trapped in Libya's in Libya's Civil War by Alex Owumi with Daniel Paisner (Rodale). The story of playing basketball for one of the world's great terrorists—and surviving to tell about it.
Assisted: An Autobiography by John Stockton with Kerry L. Pickett (Shadow Mountain). The NBA's all-time steals leader tells how he played for 19 seasons for the Utah Jazz.
Driven: From Homeless to Hero, My Journey On and Off Lambeau Field by Donald Driver (Shadow Mountain). The Green Bay Packer wide receiver and Dancing with the Stars champion looks back on his life and career.
Becoming Mr. October by Reggie Jackson and Kevin Bacon (Doubleday, $26.95). The world of Reginald Martinez Jackson is on full display, from his dealings with George Steinbrenner and his confrontations with Billy Martin to his put-downs of Yankee captain Thurman Munson.


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While the world and its dog continues to not buy HD video players, Samsung has defied the odds and launched a wall-mounted Blu-ray player.
The gravity defying Samsung BD-4600 launches at CES alongside the more conventional BD-3600, which, in stark contrast, is designed for that niche part of the market which doesn't need to stick its equipment to the walls.
The BD-P4600 and BD-P3600 include BD Live (Profile 2.0) and Bonus View (Profile 1.1) support, Full HD 1080p Blu-ray playback with DVD upscaling, and total HD soundtrack support. Standard CD playback, with support for JPEG photos and DivX videos is also included.
"Samsung is heralding a new direction for the Blu-ray industry with the BD-P4600 and BD-P3600," said Reid Sullivan, Vice President of Audio/Video and Digital Imaging Marketing at Samsung Electronics America.
"The BD-P4600 makes it easier than ever to bring Blu-ray into the living room with its unique, wall-mountable design, while the BD-P3600's comprehensive specs place it on the short list of even the most discerning home theatre consumers."
No prices for these products have yet been revealed.


text: Noli Coronado is not only a silversmith for Lucky Monkey in Manilla but is also a passionate bike builder. He likes to build sculptures that have wheels and engines. Like this one-of-a-kind board tracker cross bobber he built for Ron Poe of P&P tattoo. Ron is the son of legendary Filipino actor Fernando Poe Jr. Fernando Poe's most famous role was of Panday (blacksmith in Filipino) in the movie Ang Panday. He played a blacksmith named flavio who made his own swords and fought evil foes. Dante from Lucky Monkey tells us "The build started out as a CB550f from the 70's complete with raked out neck and flamed tank. The bike features a girder front end, rigid frame painted in rust inspired by pandays costume. Flourishes using brass and other found objects such as wrenches were integrated into the build. The bike also contains Agimats which are Filipino brass amulets which hold magical properties that protect the rider". This is one of the most unique and original builds we have seen in a while, almost as crazy as Noli's previous Kawasaki KZ750 project.


text: Bourbon chocolate pecan cookies. And… I can't even. December 11, 2016Funny-ish, Good eats, Home, National politicsbourbon, Calling Out Your Name, chocolate cookies, christmas, funnyish, I can't even, nedwhitebooks.com, pecans, Place, politicis, STRING THEORIES, The Widower By Ned White Great gluten-free cookies! And a pretty Grinch-worthy good-bye this year to Christmas as we know and love it.